BP unclear about announcement date of China's LNG tender winner

BP Indonesia was still unclear whether China will announce on May 17 the winner of the tender to supply 3.5 million tons per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to that country as reported by the media, Bisnis Indonesia daily reported on Friday.

?We have not known yet when the tender winner will be announced. It could not be May 17 as reported by the media,? Bisnis Indonesia quoted as saying BP?s vice president for government and public affairs, Satya Widya Yudha.

Satya said they had tried to confirm the media reports to China, but so far they had not got clear answer.

Dow Jones Newswires last week quoted a source close to Australia?s North West Shelf as saying that China was expected to announce the winner of the LNG supply contract on May 17.

The source told the news agency however that if Australia succeeds to win the tender the Chinese government might delay the announcement to between May 21 and May 23 during a planned visit to China by Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Equally, if the North West Shelf misses out, China may delay the announcement until after Howard?s visit so as to minimize any political embarrassment, the source said.

Indonesia is running neck in neck with fellow LNG exporters from Australia and Qatar for the supply contract.

Indonesia placed its final bid for the LNG supply contract in April.

The country's LNG offered to China will come from BP?s Tangguh LNG project in Papua Province. (*)